Cancun agreement builds towards a global climate deal

Governments in Cancun, Mexico, have chosen hope over fear and put the building blocks back in place for a global deal to combat climate change. For the first time in years, governments put aside some major differences and compromised to reach a climate agreement.

At this year's climate summit governments have a choice. They can decide between a safe future or continue with business as usual and allow climate change to continue to threaten many aspects of life as we know it. After the failure in Copenhagen last year, we know the chances of getting out of Cancun with a global deal that encompasses everything we need are very small. What countries can do here in Cancun is decide on some critical issues that will pave the way for an Energy [R]evolution.

Right now, a clean and safe future is a choice we can still make. An international climate change agreement would catalyze and help pay for a world with clean, secure and independent means of energy guaranteed for generations to come. It could keep forests standing and forest peoples thriving, as well as protecting many species and helping to stop catastrophic climate change.

If they can do these things in Cancun, we can start to believe that governments have woken up to the stark choice facing the planet and are stepping out on the right path. Cancun must be where it starts.

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